The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-23
FACT OR R0MANCE?.
A STORY OF THE REVOLUTION.
Cincinnati Colored. Men Moving to Secure
nn Alleged Inheritance In Ohio and
tWesD Virginia : From Two to
Il Five Million Dollars ut Stake.

CINCINNATI, O.. July 29.-Lloyd s
Lewis, Of sedamsvills, and Anthony s
oiuf, Or "sansberry CiutI," as he is bes.
known, have recently come into posses,
aion OF some legal documents that will
prove Of interest to large number Of
colored people residing In this section. II
appears from these documents that uomo
time In last century, when Virginia was a
dependency Of Great Britain, Samuel st
owned large plantation in Virginia, and
was alao the owner Of large landed estatsu
In England aud Ireland. He had two
daughters, Mary and Elizabeth.
Upon the breaking out OF tho War of
Independence, Mr., Glst and El,za"sH,
,ook sides with the mother country, while
MARY TOOK the side Of her native country.
Virginia, whore she was born. Mr.. Glst
LET for England, taking Elizabeth with
MN, from whence neither returned. =
When Great Britain acknowledged tho
indeependence Of the United States, Nj,
Gist found bis property confscated, MARY,
being patriot, applied for and obtained
her fathers lands. which ahe restored Ia
ger iather Tor ESQ per annum; and Mr..
1lst carried on the plantation through hie
overseers until hia death, which took
place In 1Sl2, at London, England. 4"
WHERE THE coLoREp FOLKS COME IN.
BY his will he emancipated all his
slaves, and directed that all his property
In America should DO used to 60. them mn
for themselves, aud that all rents and
rents and profits arising from his land
were 70 be forever applied, first, to assist
the widows and orphans and any OF his
servants or their descendants who may be-.
rom any cause, unable to provide for
themselves, and any surplus was to be
equally divided on every New Years dav
among, all those freed people who re-.
NAMED upon his lands. - ~
a large fund was also left in charge Of
MS two daughters and their husbands (all
OF whom were in London at the time of
the fathers DEATH for the purpose of
supporting schools for the benefit Of theae
eams people. It appears that the fact OF
Mr.. Gist'a death and tho provisions mndo
in his will for the slaves WAS not fnllv
carried out until 1878 or 1910. owiny
to difficulties which need not be- here
stated. 7lFs We - ~ y
About that time lands were .pnrchasea
in Ohio near Hillsboro and Georpetown
and some three hundred Of these freed
negroes Of all ages were settled upon them.
3 GOOD THING FOR THE rRUsrEEs.
Some $4,000 was also put in the hands
Of Trustees, to be used as before stated for.
their benefit. Some Of this fund went to
the colored people. but most OF Il went IN
benefit the Trustees, or some persons
other than those entitled to il: for tho
negroes by all accounts, got only what wss
lett, and not even all of that, - : :
The TruDtees held all the land in their
own names, and they were listed in one
lot Tor taxation, and up 1857 the taxes
we're paid BY tho Trustees, and after that
time the Trustees refused to pay anything
or to assist these people in any way what.
ever. re ..sg - '55' A-"s-
The taxes became in conseouence de.
linquent and forfeited, and the iands ware
sold Tor the taxes, but in most casea ware
alterward redeemed by the negroes them.
selves. IN 4 81 a e -.
fSASoAttako VI LILO DeES Snu m0gt
profitable land was by come means taken
by white people, 10 that nearly ali thu
property became Of little or no GOOD to the
bene6cisries. 30 80 80. y 'Ao
rRrwEES s., 900, 900 AND S. 900 900,
q Some ten years ago the members of the
Cincinnati Relief Union interested them.
selves in the matter, aud entered into a
correspondence with number Of intln.
ential men In England. It was nscer.
tanned that the colored people, represent.
ing about five hundred claimants. and
heirs Of the freed slaves, most OF whom
are residents OF Ohio, are entitled. under
Mr.. Gist's will, to certain large tracts Of
land in Ohio and Virginia, and to trust
funds, the amour. of which Is yarjonslv
stated OF from $4,000, 900 to SIS 600 600 al
present held in the Courts OF Chsncery in
England. s.':9 F@5l5770 y -" - =
Since tuat time number of colorsu
people have been investigating the mstter.
among them Mr.. Lewis and Mi. Clulf. and
they are now making an effort to Obtain 4
List OF nance Of all the claimants, in order
that they may push the claim. A moet-
ing, OF all the heirs will BIO called at an
early date, when the correspondence and
papers relating to the claim will be read. a
and all pRrticuiars OWEN thoaa ;,tor,ntoJ